MP Goldring denied access to police calls before arrest

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MP Peter Goldring's efforts to defend himself against a charge of refusing to provide a breath sample suffered a setback Thursday.

Judge Larry Anderson rejected Goldring's application for police communications one hour prior to his arrest a year ago.

Goldring's lawyer Dino Bottos wanted to know if police had the M-P in their sights, but Anderson pointed out that two police officers reviewed more than 200 communications from that night and not a single one mentioned Goldring.

Goldring had been stopped by an officer parked near a sports bar on 97th Street and 153rd Avenue just after midnight Dec. 4, 2011.

A hearing into the application was told Goldring locked the door of his pickup truck and refused to come out after he was asked to take a breathalyzer test.

According to the arresting officer, Goldring smelled of alcohol and was acting belligerent.

Bottos' next move is to file a motion to exclude as evidence anything Goldring told police that night, he said Thursday.

Goldring will go on trial Jan. 17th on a charge of failing to provide a breath sample.

Goldring, who maintains he had only one beer that night at a political fundraiser, resigned from the federal Conservative caucus as a result of the charge, but continues to represent Edmonton East as an Member of Parliament.